Monday, April 2, 2012

April 1, 2012

This little personal sized pie is, for
me, a perfect way to start the day. It's a bit heavy for those who like
something substantial to get going ... or can be shared.

In a food processor with an "S"
blade, process the nuts, raisins, and pinch of salt until the mixture
starts sticking together. Because this is such a small batch, it may not
work in a bigger food processor. I have a 5 cup processor and it worked
fine. Press the pie crust into a small tart pan or just press it into a
plate. Refrigerate for about 15 minutes to set up a bit. In the food
processor, again with the "S" blade, process half the banana and a pinch
of cinnamon until it's creamy and fluffy. Slice the rest of the banana.
Layer the banana cream and sliced banana in the crust and top with
another pinch of cinnamon.

calories: 406

fat: 18 grcarbs: 63 grprotein: 6 gr

Lunch

Salad with Lemon Tarragon Dressing

serves 2 ~ $2.98 per serving

ingredients

dressing

1 avocado ($1.49)

1/2 large cucumber ($.69)

1/4 medium onion

juice and zest of one lemon ($.69)

1 tablespoon agave ($.10)

1 teaspoon tarragon ($.10)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/2 -1 cup water for blending

salad

1 head green leaf lettuce, chopped ($1.89)

1/2 large cucumber, sliced ($.69)

2 carrots, grated

3/4 medium onion, diced ($.05)

6 radishes, sliced ($.25)

salt and pepper to taste

I'm
starting to really love salads to the point that they're what I picture
in my head when thinking about yummy food. And lemon and tarragon is my
current favorite flavor combination. Oh yeah, this is going to become a
staple.

In
a blender, puree all the dressing ingredients until smooth and creamy.
This can be a very thick dressing or a bit thinner, depending on how
much water is added. I used all the dressing on two salads, but any
leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to a few days.

The salad is just the salad ingredients tossed together and topped with the dressing.

calories: 315fat: 15 grcarbs: 43 grprotein: 8 gr

Dinner

Mushrooms with Zucchini Pasta

serves 2 ~ 3.81 per serving

ingredients

veggies

10 ounces mushrooms ($2.29)

1 head broccoli ($.99)

2 carrots, grated ($.20)

1 medium onion, chopped ($.05)

2 tablespoons agave ($.20)

2 tablespoons olive oil ($.20)

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar or bragg's liquid aminos ($.20)

1 clove garlic, pressed ($.05)

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

noodles

2 zucchini, sliced into noodles ($1.29)

1 tablespoon agave ($.10)

1 tablespoon olive oil ($.10)

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar or bragg's liquid aminos ($.10)

1 clove garlic, pressed ($.05)

1/4 teaspoon salt

Zucchini makes an awesome pasta.
For the noodles, grate the zucchini, use a spiral slicer, or what I've
done here is sliced them into 4 or 5 strips and then used a vegetable
peeler to shave off fettuccine style noodles.

First, place the mushrooms,
broccoli, carrots, and onions in a bowl or container. Whisk together the
agave, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic, and red pepper flakes and
pour over the veggies. I use Zip Lock boxes, which are easy to shake and
coat everything with the marinade. Let these sit for about an hour and
then put in the dehydrator for about an hour to warm.

Cut the zucchini into noodles and
whisk together the olive oil, agave, balsamic vinegar, garlic, and
salt. Toss together and let sit until the veggies are done, stirring to
coat every so often. The zucchini will soften and pick up the flavors of
the marinade.

Mound the zucchini noodles on a plate and top with the veggies. Top with a sprinkle of sesame seeds and red pepper flakes.

calories: 484fat: 22 grcarbs: 63 grprotein: 14 gr

Dessert

Double Chocolate Truffles

makes 8 pieces ~ $.41 per piece

truffles

1/2 cup nuts ($1.00)

1/2 cup raisins or dates ($1.00)

3 tablespoons cacao powder ($.60)

1 teaspoon vanilla

pinch salt

coating

2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted ($.10)

2 tablespoons agave ($.20)

2 tablespoons cacao powder ($.40)

These are so simple to make for an easy dessert.

In a food processor with an "S"
blade, process the raisins, nuts, cacao, vanilla, and salt until the
mixture starts to stick together. Using a rounded spoon, form eight
truffles. Put in the freezer to chill for at least a half hour.

Make the chocolate coating by
melting the coconut oil and adding to the agave and cacao powder. If
this becomes stiff, just warm again slightly in a barely warmed oven.
Spoon the chocolate over the bottom of the truffles. This should set up
almost immediately as the sauce contacts the cold truffle. Then spoon
over the top, letting it cool to set. The chocolate sauce will harden
into a semi hard shell over the truffles for maximum chocolate impact.

goodness. I am in love with this banana pie! It is AWESOME. I also am in love with the dressing. It is refreshing and delicious. These two have been rockin my world lately so THANK YOU for posting the recipes!!